Chronicles of Internet Earth
by Foenix Nightshade
Summary: An excess of time rifts sent Clank and Ratchet to the Great Clock. The source of the anomalies is an unknown backwater planet inhabited by a thought-to-be-extinct species. A simple recon trip turns into a wild adventure for the two heroes as they deal with a dangerous secret. To add to the situation: Ratchet has to deal with the drama of high school: friends, enemies, and drama...
1. A Problem

**Chapter 1: A Problem with Anomalies, Rifts, and Paradoxes**

"Ratchet, would you please do me a favor and get to the primary reflux coil?" A small robot with bright green optics looked down at his furry friend.

"Which one is it?" the golden Lombax called back.

"Look up, then right," Clank replied. Ratchet did as instructed, and found his objective thirty feet above him.

"Found it," he said. "But, um…Clank? How am I going to get up there?"

Clank, who had moved to the next panel, looked back down at his companion. "Climb, of course." He spoke as if it were the simplest thing in the cosmos. Before Ratchet could say anything in reply, Clank continued. "There are plenty of places you can grab onto to get up there. I am sure you are able." With that, Clank returned to his work.

For a moment, Ratchet simply stared at his friend. Then he looked up at his target. Sighing in exasperation, he began feeling along the wall for a decent place to start climbing.

By now, you're probably wondering why Ratchet and Clank are at the Great Clock after over two years of exploring the universe and having more of their big adventures. It's quite simple really. Sigmund had been having problems, and requested Clank's assistance. Ratchet, being the way he is, went with Clank to help. Clank had accepted, grateful to have his friend's mechanical skills handy.

Finally, Ratchet found a good place to start, and climbed up towards his target. It took him a few moments, but after dealing with a few incidents of nearly falling or slipping over the edge, he made it. "So…what do I do with it?" Ratchet called.

"Make sure it's nice and tight on there, Ratchet," Sigmund called from the ground. "Then make sure it stays on there while I test the primary functions."

Ratchet shrugged to himself. "Okay. Easy enough." He raised his wrench, ready to do as told, but Sigmund shouted at him to stop.

"Don't do that!" the robot called frantically. "The Primary Reflux Coil is _really, extremely delicate_, okay? So you can't use your wrench, or you might break it."

"Then how do you expect me tighten it?" Ratchet asked.

Sigmund scratched his head a moment before replying. "Um…you have hands, don't you?"

"That works," Ratchet said. Setting his wrench down, he carefully placed his hands around both ends of the "coil" and twisted them gently to the right. After a few seconds, he couldn't turn it any further, so he released it. "All right, Clank," he called. "It's done."

"Excellent." Clank jumped down from where he was, indicating that Ratchet should do the same. Once the Lombax was on the floor again, he moved over to a control panel. "Now," he began. "Time for us to figure out what our problem is." Both he and Sigmund tapped at the keys.

"So, why exactly do we need to find the source of the problems again?" Ratchet asked.

"Because the planet on which the source is," Clank explained. "Is not one of the planets in any of our three galaxies. Therefore, I do not have the planet here at the Clock to fix. In order to get this done properly, I must travel to the source and fix it manually."

"Well, no matter where you go, I'm going with you."

"I expect nothing less, Ratchet."

For a while, they are silent, and the tapping of keys is the only noise in the room.

"Ah!" Sigmund finally exclaimed. "I found it, sir!"

Clank glanced at the data on the screen. "Well done, Sigmund. Very well done. Thank you very much."

"Of course, sir," Sigmund replied with a hint of pride in his voice.

Ratchet looked curiously at the screen, attempting to make sense of the Zoni characters. "So…" he finally said. "What's it say?"

"According to this, paradoxes have been overlapping in an area in the far reaches of the universe," Clank explained. "The source is on a planet in an unnamed galaxy."

"Unnamed?"

"Yes, there has been little exploration done in this quadrant of the universe." Clank typed a few more keys, and a holo-map appeared. Turning to it showed a blue and green planet. "The planet is approximately 71.11% water, and it continues to rise. Landmasses include several small islands and seven or eight larger territories. Climates include Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Grassland, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Desert, Tropical Rainforest, Mountain Ranges, and many others beside."

"Wow," Ratchet responded. "That's a lot of climates."

"Indeed," Clank replied. "Let's see. Inhabitants include many types of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, etcetera. The dominant and most intelligent species seems to be…hmmm…interesting…"

Ratchet's ears perked, surprised by Clank's pause. "What is it?"

"The dominant species seems to be humans."

"Humans?!" Sigmund exclaimed, falling over in his astonishment.

"Are you sure, buddy?" Ratchet asked. "Humans haven't been seen for years. I thought they were supposed to be extinct."

"Quite," Clank said, slightly shocked by the new information. He shook his head, his antenna waving about slightly, and focused once more on the holo-projection. "The closest point I can find for the source of our rift problem is here." He pointed at the location. He moved back to the control panel, muttering to himself about seeing if he could connect to any of the planet's electronic systems to gain more information about it. After a few near-silent minutes, he made a sound, seeming pleased.

"What did you find out, sir?" Sigmund asked.

"According to this, Sigmund, the planet is known as X-9-4-2-9-8, but I can get nothing from them with this equipment. I will have to do the research with other materials."

"But," Ratchet mused. "You can't just find the problem from here?"

"No. We must travel to this planet and find the source on our own."

"Well," Ratchet sighed. "I guess that means another adventure for us, pal."


	2. Farewell for Now

**Chapter 2: Farewell for Now**

"Let's see, let's see." Ratchet walked around his home on Kerwan in search of any last items he would need. "Weapons, check. Should I take everything? Maybe so…who knows how dangerous this planet is? Gadgets? Check. Holo-guise, holo-guise…there it is! Hey, Clank! How's it coming with that program?"

"Steady progress. I still have plenty of research to do on the planet, though, so it may take about another hour."

"'Kay." The Lombax resumed his search through the house.

Clank was presently doing research on their destination, which he had already learned quite a bit about. The dominant inhabitants really had turned out to be a race thought to be extinct: humans. The humans called the planet "Earth," which had been divided into continents, and then sub-divided into countries and territories, and then sub-sub-divided into cities, towns, and villages, with strikingly barren nothingness in between. "It seems that, Ratchet, the most specific destination I can find is a city in the country of France."

"And that is where, exactly?"

"It is on the Eastern Hemisphere of the planet, located in the continent known as Europe."

"Doesn't help very much!"

"I cannot explain any better. Aphelion will be able to get us there."

"K!" The Lombax called absently, looking under the sofa for one odd thing or another. Clank sighed and continued with his research.

Clank gave a few cursory taps to the holographic screen, opening new windows displaying third-dimensional illustrations and information about key landmarks in France. It was then that the entire screen blacked out. In reality, every electrically charged object in the main room shorted. The dark room became phantasmically illuminated by a red target-like symbol. At first, Clank's supercomputer of a brain that could calculate data faster than the data could be given predicted that this so-called planet's military forces were executing a plan of infiltration.

Instead of accounting for any messages sent to the screen, the red mark was replaced by the darkness of the blackout, and then the home screen. Nothing more happened.

"How very odd," Clank muttered, trying to bring up the lost data browser.

"Hey Clank," Ratchet called from wherever he was in their home. "Everything okay in there?"

"Just a minor blackout," Clank reported.

"That's weird," Ratchet said, appearing in the doorway with an oddly shaped tool slung over his shoulder. "Why did the power go out? We checked all the circuits last week."

"I am not certain," Clank glanced at his friend and blinked his rather unfathomable green optics. "It seems I have lost all the data regarding Earth."

"Well, then," Ratchet mused. "I guess it's up to Aphelion to take us there now."

"It seems to be that way," Clank agreed, giving a slightly frustrated last few taps before turning to his companion. "Are you ready to go?"

Ratchet casually tossed the tool into the bag in the middle of the room—he didn't want to seem too suspicious on a planet with no interstellar contact and most likely the most primitive tech known to anyone. "Yep. All set."

"Do you have your holo-guise?"

"Yeah, I remembered. Don't worry. I got everything. The program set?"

"I am not entirely certain it will work properly, but I do not wish to delay our departure any longer. At least three more paradoxes have been created in the past four hours."

"Oh, brilliant," Ratchet replied acerbically. He zipped up the bag and shouldered it. "Let's go then." He walked through the house, making sure to turn off every light and see that none of the faucets were on. When he got to the garage, Clank was already there, waiting next to Aphelion.

"I have just finished installing the program into Aphelion," Clank informed the Lombax.

"Excellent. Anything else that needs to be done?"

"No."

"Finally!" Ratchet tossed his bag into the ship, placing Clank into the passenger seat and jumping into the driver's seat himself. "Ready to go, Aphelion?"

_**'Whenever you are, Lombax.'**_

"All righty, then." Ratchet activated all of the ships systems that were necessary for take-off, checking to make sure the garage door was open before gently taking Aphelion out of the enclosed space. The two took one last look at their familiar home before they left the atmosphere, making way for unfamiliar territory.

"Look out, Earth," Ratchet muttered. "Here we come."

**Took me a while to get that done. And it's not even two pages! :(**

**I really have to thank Wolf no naku koro ni for her help. She's AMAZING! She's helping me out quite a bit with this story, so I guess I could call it a collab or something like that. I really don't know.**

**Anywho, review please!**


	3. Welcome to Planet Earth

**Thanking yous very much, reader people! Now, hopefully, I can keep these kids in character. Have funsicles!**

**Chapter 3: Welcome to Planet Earth**

The Aphelion dropped out of hyperspace close to the planet's moon. The planet itself seems to be mostly covered in water. Ratchet guided the ship to land on the moon – it was larger than most Ratchet had been on, which he found weird – and Aphelion and Clank connected wirelessly to the satellites and the planet's Internet. They would be a while, so Ratchet occupied himself with his holo-guise, wondering how exactly he would tweak it to make him look "human."

"How interesting," Clank mused an hour later. Ratchet looked up from his work, voicing his question. "It seems that, for every hour in standard time, it is a full day for this planet. This could prove a problem…"

"Why's that?" Ratchet asked, returning to his work.

"Because," Clank answered. "We are enrolling you in school." Ratchet looked at the robot, blinking for a minute before he starts laughing.

"That's hilarious…heh…school…" Ratchet said between fits of laughter. Finally, he managed to calm down enough to be comprehensible. "Oh, gosh…that is hilarious, buddy. Seriously, though, why's it a problem? Not enough daylight hours?" He smirked at this remark, amused.

"I am quite serious, Ratchet," Clank said earnestly. "You are going to be enrolled in school." Ratchet sat straight, looking at his friend in astonishment. He groaned and sat back in his seat. Clank chuckled at his friend's reaction. Who knew he hated the prospect of school education so much?

To change the subject, Clank suggested, "Shall we land on the surface of the planet. Maybe some exploration will lighten your mood." Ratchet's ears perked in an instant as he gripped Aphelion's steering wheel.

"Sounds good to me. How bout you Aphelion?"

**I believe it would be a good idea. I will activate the new program once we touch down.**

Ratchet took control of the ship, guiding her off of the planet's moon and into its atmosphere. "Can you handle the heat, Aphelion?" He asked, seeing how the metal outside glowed bright.

**Of course I can, Ratchet. I was designed to withstand temperatures greater than this.**

It was just then that Ratchet noticed his own discomfort. He had a headache and his ears felt like they had bubbles in them. "Is it just me or is this planet screwing with me?"

"This planet's atmosphere has a higher air pressure than most of the other planets we have been on, Ratchet," Clank answered. "It will take time, but you will get used to it eventually."

It took only a few minutes after that to find a decent place to land without having to worry about being seen. As she had said, Aphelion activated the newly installed program, which made her look different both inside and out. The inside hadn't changed very much; it was slightly smaller, and looked slightly less advanced in the technology field. Ratchet got out, surprised by the side door only momentarily, and took a look at the outside.

"Hm…I'm impressed, Aphelion," the Lombax complimented. "Nice work."

**Thank you, Ratchet. The natives of this planet call this model the Lamborghini Aventador.**

Ratchet raised an eyebrow. "Fancy name…"

"Aphelion, now that you have disguised yourself, I believe you can find our destination?"

**Yes, Clank. I'll be there waiting.** With that, she rolled off on her own, leaving the two old-time friends in the dark of the night.

"Alright," Ratchet stated determinedly, cracking his knuckles. "We have a little bit less than an hour to explore before we have to get out of sight, and I need to get a few templates for my disguise." Without a word, Clank attached himself to the harness on Ratchet's back, and the two set off through the dark.

**I knows: short. But I wanted to get something up soon. I'm gonna end up skipping what they do on their explorations most likely cause it takes a few days for them to find what their looking for and for Ratchet to learn how to read, write, and altogether understand "French."**

**I'm too obsessed with R&C, and I've listened to much to "The Saga Begins" by Weird Al Yankovitch or whatever his last name is spelled like. (I guessed; so sue me!...actually...please don't...) Anywho, bet you can't guess why!**

**Anywho, thank you to all of my reviewers! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll get another one up soon, and I will see you all yesterdays!**

**(You mean later, right?)**

**That, too!**

**Sayonara!**


	4. Enrollment

**Chapter 4: Enrollment**

"I can't believe I let you talk me in to this," I grumbled, looking up at the metal archway that led to the school's grounds, at this point wishing I hadn't been able to find a template for the holo-guise. Blast it. Why did I agree to this?

"At least we have something to fill your extra time," Clank said reprovingly. "Besides, this school is in the general area of the source of the anomalies."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know." I said offhandedly, walking past the gate and into an empty courtyard. "Let's just hope you've thought of everything we'll need for me to actually get into this place." I wandered slightly, unsure of where to go. Honestly, I'm lost.

"Hey," a voice called suddenly. I jumped at the sound and turned to face the speaker. Why is it that everything on this planet scares the fur off of me?! He was almost, though not quite, twice as tall as me. His large red sweatshirt and sweatpants seemed unfitting for the late summer/early fall weather. He had a whitish band around his head. Best guess: athletic director…sort of… "What are you doing?" He demanded, breaking my train of thought.

"I…uh…um…I'm here to see the principal," I stuttered. I wish Clank could say something! I had no idea what to do in this situation.

"Then get where you're going and stop wandering around like a ninny," the man replied, glaring down at me almost like I was some sort of pest. Wow…I really hope the other teachers aren't like this.

I tapped my index fingers together nervously, a new habit of mine. "Um…I…don't know where his office is," I admitted.

"Oh…" the man muttered, looking fairly dumb. He spoke loudly. "Well, come on then." The man grabbed my arm and pulled me in a certain direction on the grounds. I found it extremely uncomfortable, but I reconsidered my complaints. I'll probably do it later when he seems in a better mood.

The man pulled me into a small building, led me down a few hallways, and into a room. A lady was tapping on a keyboard, ignoring the two of us as we entered. The guy pulled me across the room and, with barely a knock, entered a smaller space. Inside was a desk, covered in papers, yet somehow organized, with a really old computer. For a moment, I wondered how it worked before the man at the desk spoke.

"Who's this, Jim?" the man asked.

The man – Mister Morales, I assume – shrugged at the question. "I found him wandering outside. He claimed he was here to see you."

The guy at the desk looked to me. "Hello, young man," he said. "I am Jean-Pierre Delmas, the principal of this establishment. Welcome to Kadic Academy." He stood up to shake my hand.

I took his hand, trying to make a good impression. "Hello, sir. My name is Darkstar. Rixon Darkstar. I've been told I am to be enrolled here."

"Darkstar?" he asked, apparently finding it familiar. He released my hand and sat down. "Yes, I remember. I got an email about you yesterday. Did you bring your transcripts?"

Ah, questions, questions, brilliant. "Yes, sir." I had no reason to be nervous about this; Clank and I practiced a hundred and a dozen times! I shrugged off my bag and opened it. Clank was inside, set on standby mode. There were also a few folders. I grabbed the one that read **TRANSCRIPTS **on the front and gave it to Mr. Delmas.

He opened the folder and flipped through the papers. "Everything seems in order." He closed the file and set it down on the desk. "We'll set you up in a dorm. Your schedule has already been made. Mr. Morales will show you around the school."

"Eh…sir?" I asked. He gave me his attention. "I don't…have a roommate, do I?"

Principal Delmas raised an eyebrow. "Is it a problem if you do?"

"Um…kind of…" I shuffled and looked down, attempting to look nervous and embarrassed. Both men bought the act.

"Why is that?"

"I…I…" I tapped my fingers together, focusing on the ridges created by the holo-guise. "I have a sleeping disorder; it's a kind of insomnia." He prodded me for details. Good. This way I won't have to worry as much about my little secret. I gave him the answer Clank had explained to me. "Basically, I'll stay awake for about fifteen or sixteen days straight and be asleep for about a week. I've tried to break it, but…even with therapy, I haven't been able to."

Principal Delmas folded his hands together, elbows on the desk. "Well, then, we'll have to work something out. There's no need for worry about a roommate, but your schedule may be a trouble. This could inhibit your studies."

"I understand that, sir. I was actually thinking about talking to the teachers about scheduled lessons," I proposed. "I could occupy my nighttime hours by doing that school work."

Again, he raised his eyebrows. "An excellent solution, Mister Darkstar. Perhaps the teachers will be willing to accommodate you. Now, if you will excuse me, I have certain matters to attend to. Jim will show you to your dorm and give you your schedule."

I smiled pleasantly. "Thank you, sir. Good day." The man I had first met, now known as "Jim", led me out of the office, back into the courtyard, and into another building. I followed silently, but inside I was celebrating. I was in. Our cover was set.

I was officially a student of the Earth school, Kadic Academy.

**Yes! I'm finished with this chapter! I know that not much happened; chapter 5 will also be a bit of a filler chapter, most likely unless I decide not to write "Kadic Academy."**

**(All it is: Ratchet being shown around the school, introduced to teachers, finding his dorm, maybe running into a random student, and talking to Clank about their next move.)**

**Drake! No spoilers!**

**[Too late.]**

**Anywho, now that that's been said, I may just move on to what was originally planned to be chapter 6.**

**{Hey! People! What happened to reviews?!}**

**[Be nice, Adria.]**

**I forgot to do this earlier, so I'll do it now: I do not own Ratchet & Clank or Code Lyoko. They belong to their respective peoples.**

**Okay, now I have to go.**

**Talk to y'all later!**

**~Nipah!~**


	5. The Nightmare Begins or Meeting Rixon

**Chapter 5: The Nightmare Begins** _or_ **Meeting Rixon Darkstar**

C

"I. Would rather. Eat sand!" Ratchet exclaims obstinately. My friend can be very stubborn when he wishes to be. I have been trying for the past twenty minutes to convince Ratchet to go down to the school's cafeteria for luncheon. He, of course, had automatically assumed that the food on Earth would be inadequate.

"Come now, Ratchet, be reasonable," I say. "You do not know for a fact that you dislike their food unless you try it. Besides, would it not be suspicious if you did not at least go down there?" I press on before he can remark. "We are attempting to blend in as much as possible, Ratchet. Will you at least go down to the cafeteria and look?"

He stares out the window, refusing to answer. After a few minutes of this, his eyes wander in my direction. "Ah, fine!" he exclaims finally, his expression clearly showing annoyance. "But I make no promises!" He snatches his watch from the desk and put it on, taking care to turn it on before exiting the room.

I shake my head. Ratchet…always so stubborn.

R

It doesn't take me long to find the cafeteria. Practically everyone is there, and many other humans besides are headed to the same long building. The entire place is full of noise, humans chattering, silverware hitting against the trays, etc. I can barely stand the clamor. Can't humans be a _little_ quieter?!

I need to calm down. I'm being way too irritable right now… I have a headache. Must be the air pressure again. Blasted planet. No! I'm not getting into that again.

Okay, enough with the out-of-character moment. It's annoying. And now, I'm talking to myself in my head. Brilliant.

"Hey, you okay?" the sudden voice and a hand waving in front of my face pulls me back to the cafeteria.

I draw back in surprise. "W-What?" A boy with black hair looks at me with concern. "Eh, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

He smiles dorkishly. "Okay, then." He leaves me where I am and steps to the end of the currently short line. What a strange person… He seemed kinda...surreal… Must be my imagination.

After a few more people get in line, I follow their example. At least there are a few familiar concepts on this planet. The entire procedure seems easy enough. Then, the lady just _had_ to ask me a question. "You're not from around here, are you?" she asks, leaning forward and looking at me suspiciously.

My eyes went wide; I was on full alert. Not that she is able to see it, but my ears fall down at a sharp angle as I lean back, feeling almost threatened. "No…" I answer apprehensively. "How would you know that…?"  
She stands up straight and smiles pleasantly. "Just a lucky guess, kid. You don't look like you're from around these parts." I relax. At least she isn't a threat…right now, anyway. "So, what'll it be? Spaghetti and meatballs, or steak and potatoes?"

"Um…" I look at the "food" she has ready to serve. Neither seem very appetizing to me. "I…"

The person behind me in line speaks up. "I suggest the spaghetti and meatballs! Rosa makes those meatballs of hers brilliantly!" I look at him. He is wearing purple, kind of strange in my opinion. Not very many guys wear purple. His hair is blond; a shape was set out in the same purple as his shirt. The style he has it in is kinda weird. I don't believe I've seen anyone with their hair up like that.

The woman – I assume she is Rosa – smiles at him. "Thank you, Odd, but you're still not getting any extra meatballs today."

"Aw, man!" the boy says, almost whining. He turns his attention back to me. "If I was you, I'd get the spaghetti, but if you're not a pasta guy, I'd go for the steak. Just go with whatever you normally like of the two."

I look at him, clueless. "I've never had either before."

At my simple statement, he nearly falls over. "Say what?!" he exclaims. "That's outrageous! How could anyone let this poor boy be deprived of excellence in comestibles?! That's just vile! It's cruel! Abuse of the growing boy!" Now his arm is over my shoulders as he speaks to Rosa. "How about a little half and half for him, since he's new and all?"

Rosa laughs as she put the food on my tray. "Your antics almost never seem to get old, Odd."

The boy bows with a flourish, speaking in a mock humble fashion. "It is a pleasure to be your entertainment for the noon-time." This actually makes me smile. I wondered if he is always like this.

I move on down, picking up my tray and looking at the numerous tables. There are one or two empty ones to the back while the others are nearly filled with human students. I automatically head towards one of the back tables. "Hey, wait a minute!"

The boy's voice stops me in my tracks. I turn around and look at him. Does he want something from me? That's really the last thing I need right now. He takes his tray off of the metal bars and catches up to me. "You're new here, aren't you?" I simply nod, albeit hesitantly. "You should come sit with me and my group. Come on."

He walks towards a specific table. I stare after him, and he looks back at me. "You coming, newbie?" I don't really have much a choice in the matter. Before I can reply, he sets his tray down on what seems to be his normal table, walks back to me, takes my tray from my hands, and drags me to sit down at the table. I din't much appreciate him rough-handling me, but there isn't anything I can do about it without seeming abnormal compared to all of these other students or possibly hurting the kid.

So, instead, I sit down in a seat at the end of the table, next to the boy who had dragged me there. He sits down and immediately digs into his food. After a few minutes of scarfing down said food, he stops and, with his mouth full of…whatever it was, says, "You should eat. By the way, I'm Odd." Then he returns to shoveling food into his mouth, not really even bothering to ask my name. I guess I'm glad he doesn't.

"Slow down, Odd!" a girl's voice exclaims suddenly. "At least give yourself time to breathe."

Odd stops and looks up, holding up his fork and looking...not exactly proper, but kinda like those stuck up rich people you see in the movies and such. "I don't need to breath! Not with this good stuff. This is the very air that keeps me alive!" I stifle a laugh at his words and glance at this new person.

According to the database, she's most likely Asian, pale skin and jet-black hair. All she wears is black, including the boots she has on. She sets her tray down diagonally from Odd and sits. "Fine," she says sardonically. "Don't blame me when you choke on mashed potatoes." Odd is protesting loudly when the girl finally noticed I am sitting at the same table. "Oh, hi, I didn't see you there."

Odd stops his shouting, his spoon held in the air and a - quite stupid looking - determined expression on his face until he looks at the girl, his expression completely changed. "He's the new kid. Just got here today, according to what I heard from Jim." Sheesh...he's a bit random...

The girl places her elbows on the table, letting her fork hang from her right hand. "Yeah, I heard there was something going on." She looks at me with a smile. "I hope Odd hasn't talked your ear off yet; he has a habit of doing things like that. My name's Yumi."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Yumi," I say politely.

"Hey, Odd, move over." The three of us look up to see a boy with short brown hair wearing a short sleeve vest over the green shirt and brown pants he wore. Odd, for some reason, didn't question him, but moves over with a grin, opening a seat for the boy. As he sits down, the boy is muttering to himself. "I swear that girl just-"

"What'd she do this time?" Yumi asks him.

He twirls his fork in the noodles – spaghetti, it's called – absently as he answers, obviously annoyed. "Oh, you know, same old, same old."

"Three years and that girl is still trying to ask you out?" Odd says in mock bewilderment. "Talk about persistence." Meanwhile, I listen silently, vaguely aware that the three of them seem to be constant with each other.

Out of nowhere, I suddenly feel dizzy, lightheaded. My head starts to hurt worse than it has since we first got here. I glance at my watch. **15:00 ST** Drat…I need to find Clank… I slide out of my chair, albeit a bit shaky, picking up my tray. "Well, it nice meeting you all, but I have something really important I need to do. See you later, Odd, Yumi." Without waiting for their reply, I leave, placing my tray at the return station and rushing up to my dorm.

**-Code Lyoko-**

"That was cutting it a little close this time," Clank says, obviously concerned. "Try not to do that again, Ratchet. Now hurry on; classes are supposed to start, I believe."

I activate my holo-guise and open the door, hating it when Clank worries so much. "Here's hoping it's fairly simple," I say, trying to lighten his mood a bit. Clank is probably watching me with the closest he can get to a smile.

**-Code Lyoko: Ratchet-**

_'It's times like this I'd be fine with dismantling that darn robot."_ The thought runs through my mind as I stare up at the door. It reads: **Science Lab**. I sigh discontentedly before opening the door and entering the room. I don't recognize any of the people from the lunch room, but I'm surprised. The room is actually pretty large. Eighteen tables, each one with its own sink, are aligned in three rows, two stools per table.

Sighing, I enter the room unnoticed. At least I don't draw any attention to myself. Then again, everyone is chattering nonstop. The teacher finally notices me. "You must be the new student. I am Mrs. Hertz." She points to the row on the far side of the room, away from the door. "You will be sitting two tables back, with Miss Stones. She'll be your partner in this class for the remainder of the year." Silent, I walk over to my assigned seat and sit down.

"Hello," my new partner says pleasantly. I turn to see a girl in a magenta colored dress. Her hair is pink… Did she dye it that way or was it somehow natural? "I take it you're a new student here?" She seems nice enough, for a human. She smiles, holding out a hand. "I'm Aelita Stones."

"Darkstar," I reply, taking her hand gently. It feels so small and fragile… "Rixon Darkstar."

"A pleasure to meet you Rixon. I look forward to working with you." She motions to the equipment. "Have you had a Biology class before?"

I shake my head. "No." I look directly at her. "What are we going to be doing, Miss Stones?"

Her small laugh makes me blink in surprise. "You can just call me Aelita, Rixon," she explains. "We may hit the books right off today instead of an experiment. We're about to start studying Fauna." I nod. Sounds like a reasonable guess. Why did Clank have me put in school again? There's no point in this! Well…except to be able to investigate the little problems with anomalies that could possible tear this world or others apart...

Mrs. Hertz calls for our attention. "Open your books to page 252. We will begin today with the animal kingdoms." I turn through my book. The creatures I see on the page are strange. Quite a few look fairly dangerous as well. I hope I don't have to encounter any of them.

**-Code Lyoko: Aelita-**

The Biology lesson was fascinating. I can't wait until Monday's class. I also met the new student today. I sat next to him during class, though he seemed a little on edge, uncomfortable. I look back at him. He's a little bit taller than I, and kinda cute, but in that handsome, attractive way that girls swoon over. (Seriously, some of the girls in class stared at him the entire time instead of listening.) His hair is short, just above his ears, and a golden-blonde kind of color. His eyes are really interesting. They're green, but not the kind of green most would imagine. They're bright like emeralds, clear and full of life.

He also seems distracted. "Are you hungry, Rixon?" I ask, trying to gain his attention.

He blinks at me, his bag slung over his right shoulder. "Huh…what?"

"I asked if you were hungry."

"Oh…um…yeah, kinda…" I smile. He's so clueless; it's cute, honestly. I can just imagine him with little kitten ears, oddly enough. I grab his sleeve – why is he wearing long-sleeves in this heat? It's early September – and pull him in the direction of the cafeteria.

**That chapter was actually pretty long…**

**Anywho, sorry for the delay! I had technical difficulties with my new laptop, and my grandmother's is sick, so yeah. Said grandma also broke her ankle last week. Also! My flash drive had a virus, but it's gone now! My awesome computer teacher took care of it; she's awesome!**

**Now I need to find out how to introduce him to the ones he hasn't met yet. And Sissi comes in the next chapter! Maybe... I gotta tell you, what I have planned – and what I have yet to plan – is gonna be fun and hilarious with this girl…I hope… Forgive me if anyone is out of character, which is most likely the case. If someone can help me with that, I would greatly appreciate it! AND ALSO! The geography: I didn't have the time to see if France is still warm in early September like it is here, so I just left it.  
**

**PLEASE DON'T HATE ME FOR PUTTING HIM IN BIOLOGY CLASS! I COULDN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER WAY FOR HIM TO MEET AELITA OTHERWISE! Besides, my sister thought it'd be funny…**

**(Now about his sudden departure at lunch…)**

**_NO SPOILERS!_**** It will be explained in due time. Or maybe not. I may leave it to your interpretation… We'll have to see.**

**Enough with my babbling. Thanks y'all for your patience.**

**Review please! :)**


	6. New Friends and Nuissances

**Chapter 6: New Friends and Nuisances**

R

Aelita manages to drag me all the way to the cafeteria for dinner before I actually register what's going on. Yeesh, that girl is strong! For a human, that is. She pulls me to the line, and, after retrieving our food, we sit down at the same table I had sat down at during lunch. Odd and Yumi are already sitting there. I guess Aelita is a friend of theirs, for they greet her warmly.

And I feel extremely out of place now… Is school always this awkward for new students, or is it just me? I pick at my food, not particularly hungry even though I hadn't eaten in a while. "Hey, guys, who's this?" The sudden voice makes me snap my head around to face the person. I force myself to relax. I don't know why I'm so on edge. Maybe it was the close call earlier, or maybe just the fact that I'm hiding among creatures that obviously don't know anything about other beings beyond their planet. Talk about stress.

The boy who had spoken sits down. To be simple in description, he wears pants that are a tad too short for him, a long-sleeved blue shirt, and your average tennis shoes. He also has round-framed glasses. All in all, your typical nerd. You know, the guy who always gets straight A's and such.

"Jeremy!" Aelita seems excited to see him. I wonder… I feel a slight shock on my wrist and look down at my hand to see the holo-guise flickering. Crap, crap, CRAP! Trying to seem nonchalant about it, I put my hands under the table and press the button on the side three times. The flickering stops, but I have to be careful. I don't know how these humans will react to me if they saw what I really looked like. It doesn't seem as if the people of this planet know of alien life.

Hoping I haven't drawn any attention to myself, I start eating a bit. Hmm. Not bad. The Phoenix had better, but it still was way better than the food they had served at Dreadzone. Now _that_ stuff was nasty.

I glance up at the other four. Aelita and Yumi are giggling, about what, I don't know. Jeremy is ignoring his food and typing diligently at the laptop he has. Odd has just finished his food, taking Jeremy's tray and starting to eat from it. I guess this is normal; Jeremy doesn't say anything about it. I relax. No one seems to have noticed the little glitch, thankfully. I'll have to fix it when I head to my dorm. I guess the reprogramming didn't take very well to the system.

Odd lifts his spoon, waving it. "Ulrich!" The boy I had seen at lunch – I never officially met him – walks over to our table. He practically slams his tray down on the table, seeming annoyed.

"Ulrich!" I nearly cover my ears at the sound of her voice, instead just gritting my teeth. The human girl has long black hair held back with a yellow headband. Her red skirt, I'm sure, is way too short for school regulations. Her shirt is short enough to show off her midriff and is an orange-crème color with a yellow heart close to the neckline. She hovers over the boy – Ulrich, that's his name – trying to gain his attention. "Why don't you come sit with me today?"

"Because," Ulrich growls. "You're obnoxious. Leave me alone."

"I am not obnoxious," she says, her voice raising a couple octaves. I wince at the sound. No wonder he's irritated.

She's about to continue when Aelita intervenes. "Sissi, you're right. You aren't obnoxious." She pauses while the other looks at her in surprise. "You're excruciatingly insufferable."

The girl blinks before her expression turns to puzzled anger. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Why don't you go look it up in the dictionary?" Odd asks.

"That's if she even knows what a dictionary is," Yumi retaliates. They all laugh at this, even Ulrich, who had been irritated just seconds before.

The girl huffs indignantly. "How dare you insult me?!" she squeaks loudly. Her voice is really starting to get on my nerves. Then she starts acting sweet and innocent again. "Ulrich, sweetie, these friends of yours are a bad influence. You should hang out more with me."

"Take a hike, Sissi," Aelita snaps. "It's plain to see that Ulrich doesn't care for your company."

The girl glares at her. "Why would you care, Mrs. _Einstein_?" That is it. I have been gritting my teeth throughout this exchange, but I refuse to let this go on. I let my growl rise slightly in volume, just enough for the few around the table to hear. They stop and look at me, seeming mostly shock either by my actions or that I'm even here.

I look up at her, almost glaring. "It is obvious you are unwanted," I growl. "Move along, if you please."

She blinks, staring at me, seeming dazed. Her voice is no longer high and squeaky, but a weak "Okay" comes from her before she leaves the table and sits at the far end of the cafeteria. I watch her as she goes until I am satisfied that she will no longer other us. Finally, I smile in satisfaction and continue eating the strange food served the students. After a few minutes, I realize that the others at the table are still staring at me. I freeze.

"What?" I run a hand through my fur. "Do I have something in my f- my hair?" Crap, I nearly said fur! That would've been a really dumb move. I don't want to seem any more suspicious that I might already be.

"That…that was kinda scary…" Yumi replies, seeming wary.

"Are you kidding?" Odd chatters excitedly. "That was awesome! I've never seen a newbie get defensive like that! Against the principal's daughter, no less!"

I blink, turning my head to look at the girl. She is Delmas's daughter? I don't see much of a resemblance. She must take after her mother. I wonder why she acted that way… Was it because of who her father was? Or could it be something else? The others strike conversation with one another as I tilt my head curiously.

"Rixon? Hello?" Aelita waves a hand in front of my face. I blink, pulling back. My chair falls backward, and I end up on the floor. That's gonna hurt tomorrow. The others are laughing, but not in a mean way. "Are you alright, Rixon?" Leave it to Aelita, I'm sure, to be the one to ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say, getting up off the floor. "I've been through way worse than that."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yumi inquires. I smile and nod once. If only they knew. I sit down.

Ulrich gestures to me with his fork. "As I was asking, what are your thoughts on having gym class _after_ dinner during the beginning of the year? It's almost dark out, after all."

So that's why I don't have it on the "morning schedule." Gym after dinner. I shrug as a reply, but speak when he doesn't seem satisfied. "I'm not complaining, really. It seems an interesting idea. Didn't think this school would do that."

"You've been to other schools that do that?" Jeremy inquired. "Where?"

Oh, crap, _crap!_ I didn't expect that. Of course, he would have asked that! He's not exactly stupid! Trying to keep a calm outward appearance, I answer, "The last place I was at was kinda like that. Clank always insisted on keeping in good shape."

"Clank?" Aelita questions. "Who's that?"

"That's an interesting name, too," Odd adds.

Oh, **damn!** "I, uh, he's um…uh, a friend," I stutter. I chuckle nervously as they look at me. "Clank is his, uh…nickname! Yeah, his real name's Cole, but I just call him Clank cause…it's more fitting to him."

They blink at me momentarily. "Hm…" Yumi muses, lifting the handle of her fork to her chin. "Makes sense, I guess. Is he a friend from your last school?"

"Uh…yeah." I nod, hoping with every fiber that none of them are suspicious.

It doesn't seem that any of them are, seeing as they get up, talking about it being the time for gym class. I follow quietly, a silent sigh of relief escaping me. I really need to be more careful. We set our trays at the return and head to the locker rooms to change. My holo-guise manages to stay consistent, thankfully, and we all (7 boys in all) head out to the track and field.

**Code Lyoko: Jeremy**

"Alright, you bunch a pansies, I'm not cutting you any slack just cause it's the first week of school. We are going to train hard, work hard, and make a better athletic appearance at Kadic Academy, is that understood?" Jim is lecturing again. Both Aelita and Yumi are hiding giggles well. I glance around at the other students. It's mostly the same since my first year here, except for one or two.

"Now!" the gym teacher's exclamation startles me as I return my attention to him. "Seeing as summer break has probably destroyed your physical condition, we'll start with something simple. Darkstar!" The new kid, Rixon Darkstar, sits bolt upright at the sound of his name.

"Huh, what? Yessir?" A lot of the others start to laugh. He seems nervous, on edge, almost like he's never been in a situation like this. I wonder briefly if he has some sort of mental illness. Nah, he's just nervous I'm sure. First day, new school. It seems logical that he would be anxious.

"Get up on the track," Jim commands. Rixon winces, but complies. "One lap around the track. Give them at least something decent to reach for on time." Rixon looks around at the track, seeming a bit confused.

"Just once?" he asks.

"Yes, once," Jim barks. "Now get on the track." Rixon mutters another "yessir" and steps up on the track, the furthest one in, closest to us. Jim takes the stopwatch strung around his neck. "On your mark," he says. Rixon shifts into the proper stance, his right leg behind him and ready to get him started on the run. "Get set…Go!"

Rixon starts running the same instant that Jim starts the time. The rest of us watch as he makes his way around the track, barely able to actually keep our eyes on him. He crosses the line in the dirt that signals the end of his run, and Jim presses the button on the stopwatch. Rixon stops a few yards away before walking back to us calmly.

Jim is staring at the stopwatch, seeming very surprised. "Is there a problem, sir?" Rixon asks. He bites his lip, obviously hoping the gym teacher won't snap at him again.

"No, of course not," Jim says loudly, removing the watch from his neck and letting it fall to the ground. "Now, I'm gonna go get some of the equipment from the field house. You kids stay put and no funny business. Is that understood?" We all reply confirmation, and he leaves, striding away like a mock military man.

**I was considering making this longer, but that wouldn't have been any fun. I wanna keep you interested.**

**Honestly, this wasn't the best chapter ending. But I wanted to get something up for you guys, so I decided to go with it.**

**Anywho! I'm having a bit of trouble. I'm debating on whether or not Ratchet should eventually end up on Lyoko, and how they figure out Rixon/Ratchet is an alien.**

**I'm open to suggestions via review or PM.**

**Thanks for reading; hope you review! :)**

**~Foenix Nightshade~**


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